Praying with AI: A modern Tool for an Ancient Practice
Struggling with prayer? Discover how AI can inspire heartfelt prayers and deepen your connection to faith.
Introduction
Let’s face it. Many of us consider ourselves believers, yet we might struggle with prayer. For some, the words flow effortlessly; for others, it can feel like trying to solve a riddle in the middle of a storm. Fortunately, like many aspects of life, AI is here to lend a hand! Yes, artificial intelligence, that same technology that helps craft marketing strategies or answer trivia questions, can play a role in something as deeply personal as prayer.
Today, I want to share how AI has helped me deepen my connection to prayer—and perhaps it can help you too.
Background
AI’s potential stretches far beyond what most of us might imagine. I’ve already experienced its capacity to assist in profoundly meaningful moments. For instance, after a dear friend passed away, I used AI to gather and craft an eulogy. I pulled together heartfelt comments from LinkedIn, Facebook, and other platforms, shaping them into a tribute that captured the love and admiration others had for him. Later, I translated it into Indonesian for his wife, whose English is limited. She has treasured it and replays it frequently.
On another occasion, I used AI to write a cheerful poem for a friend who was feeling down. Both experiences made me realize how AI can help communicate love, empathy, and support.
But it was during a deeply personal challenge that I realized AI’s potential in prayer.
How AI Can Help with Prayer
One of my close friends is currently enduring a profound struggle. His wife, who suffers from lupus and kidney failure, has been on dialysis for years. When her father generously donated a kidney, we all hoped for a miracle, but within a week, the transplant failed, and the kidney had to be removed. As her health continued to decline, my friend asked for prayer—and I got the prayer warriors I know to start praying.
While I wanted to support him through prayer as well, I found myself stumbling. My thoughts wandered, my words felt repetitive, and at times, I didn’t know how to begin. My mother-in-law and brother-in-law are what you’d call prayer warriors—they can pray for hours. My friend is the same, often praying with me through Messenger despite living hours away. But I often struggled to match their fervor and focus.
In one sense, when it comes to prayer, my “real intelligence” tends to hallucinate as much as an AI model without a proper prompt. So, I decided to turn to AI for help.
I gave AI a simple prompt: to create a prayer I could recite. Within moments, it provided something profound, heartfelt, and meaningful—a prayer I could say with deep intention. Here is the prompt and ChatGPT’s prayer in return.
Prompt
I have a friend whose wife is on life support and suffering kidney failure. She had a kidney transplant from her father, but they had to remove it after a few days. I want to pray for her, for her husband and that they find the right outcomes. But saying a good prayer is hard for me. They are Christians. Can you write a Christian prayer that I can use to pray for them?
The (Christian) Prayer that ChatGPT Returned
Loving Father,
I come before You with gratitude for the gift of prayer and the ways You meet us in every moment. I ask that You soften hearts and open minds to see the tools You have provided through technology, especially AI, as instruments that can deepen our connection to You. May those who feel uncertain or hesitant come to understand that AI can be used with discernment to inspire, uplift, and guide us in prayer.
Grant us the wisdom to approach these new tools with faith and humility, seeking always to honor You and enrich our relationship with You. Let those who may struggle to find words in their time of need feel empowered to use whatever means available to speak with You, trusting that You hear them regardless of the method.
May Your Spirit guide us, Lord, to use AI wisely and with reverence, always as a means to bring glory to You and to bring us closer to Your love.
In Jesus' name, we pray,
Amen.
Expanding AI’s Role in Prayer
This experience led me to explore how AI could assist with prayers across various situations and for people of different faiths. For example, I have a Muslim friend who is dealing with failing health and has been seeking forgiveness from Allah alongside healing. Using AI, I crafted a prayer that respected his faith and conveyed my care for him.
Again, for example, here is the prompt and response
Prompt
I have an Islamic friend who is in need of prayer. He has failing health and is asking for Allah to forgive him his sins and to make him healthy again. Can you provide a prayer for him and for me to pray for him. Please make it about one minute in length.
The (Muslim) Prayer that ChatGPT Returned
For My Friend to Pray:
Bismillah-ir-Rahman-ir-Rahim (In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful),
Ya Allah, Most Merciful and Forgiving, I turn to You in my time of need. I ask for Your forgiveness for my sins, both known and unknown, and for Your mercy upon me. Grant me healing, Ya Shafi (The Healer), and restore my body and soul to health. If this is not Your will, grant me patience and strength to endure with faith in Your wisdom. Let my heart be at peace, and my trust in You never waver. Ameen.
For You to Pray for Your Friend:
Bismillah-ir-Rahman-ir-Rahim (In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful),
Ya Allah, Lord of all, I humbly come to You on behalf of my friend Robert. You are Ar-Rahman (The Most Compassionate) and Ar-Raheem (The Most Merciful), and I ask that You shower Your mercy upon him. Forgive him for his sins, ease his heart, and cleanse his soul. Ya Shafi (The Healer), I ask for Your healing touch upon him, to grant strength to his body and peace to his mind.
If healing is not Your will, grant him and those who love him patience and comfort in Your divine wisdom. Let him feel Your presence and love in every moment. Ameen.
Now, I’ve developed a library of prayers I use regularly. These range from prayers for inspiration during writing to prayers for calm in challenging situations, and even prayers for safety while driving or cooking. I store them in TextBlaze, a tool I use for quick access to snippets. With a single click, I can pull up a prayer and recite it.
While AI could voice the prayer for me, I prefer speaking directly to God myself. There’s something profoundly personal about using my own voice in those moments.
Over time, this practice has made me more comfortable crafting my own prayers. However, whenever I feel stuck, AI is there to offer a helping hand.
Call to Action
If you’ve ever struggled with prayer or wanted to expand the way you connect with the divine, give AI a try. Whether you’re a seasoned prayer warrior or a hesitant beginner, AI can provide the inspiration and guidance you need. Simply describe your situation and ask AI for help. You might be surprised by how quickly and meaningfully it can respond.
Upcoming Blogs and Other Resources
In future posts, I’ll explore other ways AI can enhance your daily life, from writing assistance to organizing your thoughts, learning how to play games, and even helping with creative projects like poetry and storytelling. If you’re curious about how to use tools like TextBlaze to streamline your creative and spiritual practices, stay tuned!
In the meantime, I’d love to hear your thoughts. Have you used AI for something personal, like prayer? If so, please share your experiences in the comments! And if not, what’s holding you back?
AI may seem like an unlikely partner in something as personal as prayer, but for me, it’s become a valuable ally. Whether you’re looking for inspiration, clarity, or just a way to get started, AI can help you connect more deeply with yourself, your loved ones, and the divine. So why not give it a try? After all, prayer isn’t about perfection—it’s about connection.
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